Vestavia Hills recognizes Boston, Kong, Maha for leadership contributions

Anne Boston has lived in Vestavia Hills for 35 years, and Leadership Vestavia Hills recognized her community contributions on Thursday.

A past president of the Vestavia Hills Historical Society, chair of the beautification board and volunteer with senior transportation and Library in the Forest, Boston was the recipient of this year’s Leadership Vestavia Hills Lifetime Achievement Award.

“I am so honored. I just can’t tell you how exciting it is to me,” Boston said at the 26th Vestavia Hills Community Leadership Awards Celebration. “I certainly didn’t volunteer to get an honor, but it really is nice.”

Boston joked that she initially moved to Vestaiva Hills kicking and screaming, but now she would not imagine being any less involved.

“Everything that goes on in Vestavia I like to be a part of,” she said. "I do what I do out of love for the city and the people I see every day.”

KultureCity founders Dr. Michele Kong and Dr. Julian Maha were also recognized at the awards celebration. They were presented with the Distinguished Citizen of the Year Award.

KultureCity is a nonprofit organization geared toward helping individuals with autism and their families. The organization started in Vestavia Hills but has since grown to be an award-winning national organization.

Penny Lewallyn, organizer for the Community Leadership Award event, said the work Kong and Maha have done nationwide is one of the reasons they were recognized. Leadership Vestavia Hills is proud to have KultureCity as part of the community, Lewallyn said.

Kong said the award from Leadership Vestavia Hills is an honor, and she is thankful for all the support KultureCity has received from the community.

“We stay in Vestavia, and Vestavia is home to us,” she said. “It’s really amazing to have the community embrace what we do, especially for special needs children.”

After her son, Abram, was diagnosed with autism four years ago, Vestavia became more than just a place where their family stayed, Kong said. It developed into a kind and passionate community and a family, she said.

“You have really supported us through our journey with Abram and with KultureCity, in really changing the culture of our society to one of acceptance for special needs children and their families,” she said.

The support of the Vestavia community supported the phrase “A dream is only as good as the people who are behind it,” Maha said, and he thanked everyone in the audience who has been involved in KultureCity since the beginning.

“We sincerely just want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts because you’ve not only made Vestavia home for us, but you’ve showed us this is a community we want to be a part of for the rest of our lives,” Maha said, “because all of you here fundamentally believe that you can be the change that you want to see in this world, and for that I really want to applaud you all tonight.”

Leadership Vestavia Hills seeks to recognize those who give back and do not seek recognition in return, President Rebecca Olsen said. That is one of the main reasons for the annual awards ceremony, she said.

“We live in such a great community, and all of us lead such busy lives,” Olsen said. “I think it’s so important to just take a moment and recognize people who really go above and beyond, who care so much about the community that they’re willing to give back.”

City Councilman John Henley said volunteering and service are part of the culture of Vestavia Hills. He thanked the members of Leadership Vestavia Hills for their efforts.

“We are preparing our next community volunteers every day, and they do not have to look very far at all for their inspiration,” he said. “For this I want to say thank you for tonight’s recipients for inspiring our next group of volunteers.”